She added: “Parents’ feelings are a mix between heartbreak and fury following the closure.”

“This petition has been signed by the autism diagnostic team, social workers, speech and language therapists, CAHMS, occupational therapists, teachers, paediatricians and many more professionals from Lanarkshire.

“These professionals have also written to the two councils asking for the funding to continue as this service is vital.”

North and South Lanarkshire councils are the only local authorities in Scotland which have not provided funding for an OSSA.

Last week Motherwell and Wishaw SNP councillor Rosa Zambonini hit out at North Lanarkshire Council over their failure to save the lifeline autism support hub from the axe.

Rosa said about the situation: ”I am deeply disappointed that both councils could not come to an agreement to fund the OSSA.

“While I welcome any consultation on an improved autism service, the parents and users have expressed to me that the best resolution to their needs would have been to keep the OSSA open.

“Why tear a house down to find a way to build it back up?”

And Councillor Zambonini concluded about the matter: “The whole handling of this issue has been disgraceful.”